The causes of a leaking chimney can be caused by many different factors. Here are 5 that we often find.

1. Rain that is going straight inside the chimney from the top is a common cause of a leaking chimney. The simplest solution for this is the installation of a chimney cap. An uncovered chimney allows the rain to pour inside, especially during heavy rains. Aside from rain, a chimney cap protects the chimney from animals and birds that often nest inside of the chimney.
2. There may be crack in your chimney crown that can allow water to enter. The chimney crown is the flat or beveled area that is found on top of your chimney. Chimneys can crack due to a shift in the structure or from freeze/thaw cycles. A cracked crown can be fixed, but should be done by a professional. If your chimney crown has a small crack, it may still need fixing to prevent it from getting worse. Water that enters in small cracks will freeze during the winter, thus expanding the cracks into a much bigger problem. There are coatings available to patch smaller cracks to prevent further damage. Coatings may not fix bigger cracks, so it is better to treat them early to prevent additional expense and hassle.
3. Condensation causes water leaks from the inside out. The chimney should be lined with the correctly sized liner. Sometimes a liner can solve a leaking problem.
4. Improper or deteriorated chimney flashing may also cause leaks. If there is a gap between the brick and the roof and it is not sealed, the water may get through and cause a leak. A professional chimney sweep can fix this.
5. Leaking bricks can also be the source of water entering the home. This is similar to leaks from chimney crowns. You can waterproof your chimney, but make sure only high quality materials are used. During summer, the water that enters broken bricks will dry out, but during winter, the water can freeze, causing bigger and more expensive problems.

There are many health hazards that are caused by the improper maintenance of a home chimney.    If you are a busy homeowner and cannot find the time or don’t have the know-how to clean your own flue, it is a good idea to hire a professional chimney sweep and make sure they are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).  A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep is a skilled technician who inspects the chimney and cleans and clears soot, debris, and ashes from the chimney.  The government’s fire prevention and protection agencies are recommending homeowners have their chimneys inspected at least once per year. Chimney sweep companies that employ CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps are dependable, and will provide professional services for this kind of task.  They are promoting their expertise in inspecting and maintaining dryer vents, fireplaces, chimneys and even woodstoves. As a prudent homeowner, you have to understand the complexity and the correct usages of your home’s chimney system.

Hiring a chimney sweep that is CSIA Certified can take care of all the safety recommendations and proper maintenance of your chimney.   Their professional skills must include:

• The ability to perform regular inspections (Level I and Level II) , and recommend needed repairs and waterproofing when necessary;
• The ability to detect and repair of any water leak that will cause damage to the outer and inner parts of the fireplace and chimney;
• The ability to install chimney caps for preventing snow, rain , small animals, leaves and debris from entering the flue;
• The ability to repair an incorrectly built or deteriorated chimney crown;
• Restoring a dented chimney’s chase tops, which are likely to lead to the staining of your chimney’s sidings and putting strain on the assembled metal flue;

According to the CSIA there are additional questions that should be asked to ensure that the person hired is a credible service technician:

1. How long has the chimney sweeping company been in business?
2. Does the company offer current references?
3. Does the company have unresolved complaints filed within the city or state consumer protection agency or Better Business Bureau?
4. Does the company or individual carry a valid business liability insurance policy to protect your home and furnishings against accidents?
5. Does the company ensure that a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep will be on the job site?

Professional CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps are experts in inspecting and sweeping residences of all sizes and designs no matter the year of construction.  You want to look for these skilled chimney sweeps that understand, and can utilize, the latest tools that enable them to do their jobs, safely, securely and correctly.

To prevent deadly carbon monoxide from entering your home, you have to learn how to stay safe.  Carbon monoxide is a type of gas which is tasteless, poisonous, odorless and colorless.   It can be inhaled without you even knowing it is there. This gas is the result of the incomplete burning of materials that contain carbon. Examples of these would be wood, coal, oil, propane, gasoline, and kerosene. So basically, any type of carbon based fuel may emit this dangerous gas when burned.

Annually, there are many deaths that are caused by carbon monoxide hazards. Many homeowners are not aware of this problem. They don’t understand that one potential sources is their chimney. Hundreds of deaths occur every year because carbon monoxide is coming from their heating system or chimney.  Some of the symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide during winter seasons are “seasonal” depression, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.  Many people ignore these symptoms, and they are not detected at an early stage. It is important not to ignore these, however, because even bigger problems can occur.

Another cause of dangerous levels of this gas is found right in your home’s tight construction.  Many of us seal our homes so airtight that we are completely unable to get fresh air inside. This means fresh air is completely eliminated or lessened, and the stale or polluted air is sealed inside the home. Leaving your boilers and furnaces with minimal levels of oxygen will cause the incomplete burning of fuels, which produces even more carbon monoxide.

To avoid carbon monoxide related problems, one of the best ways to solve it is to have professional chimney experts come and inspect, clean or repair your chimney and connector pipes. Be sure to have safety measures in place to prevent the hazardous effects caused by this gas and consider the installation of a carbon monoxide detector or alarm.

Many homeowners tend to neglect the fact that their chimneys need to be inspected, cleaned, and maintained vigilantly in order to be free of hazards. This also helps prevent bad accidents from occurring. Ideally, chimneys are made to be air and moisture tight so that the products of combustion are exhausted directly to the outside of the house. But due to many factors such as temperature extremes, weather changes, corrosive gases, water or vapor, animal inhabitants (like birds and squirrels), creosote build-up, and faulty work or installation of the chimney, the likelihood of accidents can increase. Also effected are the efficiency and safety of your heating appliance(s), the chimney and of your home in general. This is precisely why it is of utmost importance to have an annual chimney inspection followed by a thorough chimney sweeping. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association states that chimneys should be inspected at least once a year and swept if necessary.  If the chimneys are used more frequently, then inspection and sweeping should also be done more often.

Chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning are among the dangers that threaten a home if the chimneys are not properly maintained. Creosote build-up, which is highly combustible, can start a chimney fire. Sparks may fly to the roof or heat may transfer to combustibles in the attic and ceiling, which could lead to a serious house fire. Blockages caused by the collapse of some parts of the chimney, bird’s nests, or other factors can inhibit the smooth exit of smoke and/or flue gases from the fireplace or other heating appliance. It can also cause carbon monoxide to circulate inside the house. All these things can happen in your home if you do not take action to ensure that your chimneys are safe and clean.

Having a Certified Chimney Sweep examine both the exterior and interior parts of the chimney can save you a great deal of money and effort (not to mention grief). The inspector will be checking the structure of the chimney as well as the flue and all the connections within. They will also make sure that the chimney does not have creosote or other combustible substances built up. They will also check for any type of obstruction. So be wise and never forget to have an annual chimney inspection.

You might not think that pesky bird in your chimney should live, considering it has driven you crazy throughout the summer months. However, before you do anything you might regret later, know that the bird might be a Chimney Swift, Vaux Swift or other migratory bird, which is a protected species here in the United States. Also be aware that the killing or harming of these birds can carry a fine of up to $15,000 and 6 months in jail. This fine is per egg, nestling, nest, bird, etc. and considering the normal clutch of 4 to 5 eggs, the fines could potentially mean the end of you, financially. This means it’s time to make peace with the birds in your chimney and do other things to keep them out next year. And by the way, they will be back next year because they nest in the same place every year.

So how can you safely rid yourself of this noisy bird without breaking the law? Well, we are so glad you asked because there are several things that can be done to keep the birds and other critters out of your chimney. Note I said “out of your chimney”. This means once they are in your chimney you will have to wait for them to migrate back to South America before you can do anything. Lucky for you that normally happens in the late summer or fall so they are gone just in time to light that fire.

Start with getting your chimney inspected and cleaned to get rid of any debris from nests left behind. Once that has been completed, look at installing a proper chimney cap on your chimney. Not only will this keep out birds and other animals, it will also act as a spark arrestor and keep out rain, leaves and other debris which could cause a blockage.  Installing a damper will put the ultimate stop to just about anything getting down the chimney. It’s best to do all that is needed while the crew is working on the unit. Only when you seal up the chimney when it’s not in use will you be able to totally keep out the Chimney Swifts and other animals that like the dark walls of a chimney to lay their eggs every year.  Now, if you don’t feel quite right about closing up the home to chimney swifts (or Vaux Swifts) visit http://chimneyswifts.org/page5.html and learn how to build a simple Swift Tower!

We spend quite a bit of time educating our customers about the need for dryer vent cleaning. The reason we spend so much time on this is because we have seen up close the damage a house fire can do. A fire that starts in the dryer vent is one of the leading causes of house fire in the United States. This is due in large part to the fact that many people simply don’t understand the extreme flammability of lint. However, if you were ever a Boy Scout, you likely are quite familiar with this fact.

As far as figuring out how often a dryer vent should be cleaned, a few factors will need to be considered. For instance, how long is your vent. Longer vents don’t exhaust as well, and thus build up more lint. Vents with a lot of twists and turns also have a tendency to have lint build up more quickly – in fact, each 90 degree elbow effectively adds 5 feet of distance to the venting system. On the other hand, a very short vent will often need very little cleaning. Also, older dryers tend to dry less efficiently, so you will want their vents checked more often.

The U.S. Consumer Protection Agency has laid out several guidelines regarding dryer vent cleaning. One of their biggest recommendations is cleaning the lint tray after each use. Besides drying your clothes faster, it will reduce the buildup of lint at the source of the heat. They also strongly suggest replacing older duct material that is flexible with the newer types of rigid or semi-rigid duct. The older duct material’s flexibility is more prone to kinks, which leads to restricted airflow and lint buildup and vinyl is not an approved material for dryer exhaust components.

Just remember: you don’t have to worry about all of this yourself. We are here to help. Contact us today, and schedule an appointment with us today. We make sure your dryer vent clean is clean and safe!

We often get asked about the type of firewood people should be using. The answer is will be determined by a few factors. One, of course, is your location. What type of wood is readily available in your area? Another question that must be answered is what are you going to use the wood for? Is it just for heat, or are you going to be cooking with it? Answering these questions will help you get the right firewood for your situation.

Something to keep in mind is the more valuable woods are those that have the highest density. This is because the heat produced by various types of wood is virtually the same. However, denser wood will last longer on the fire, which in turn helps you use less firewood overall. Oak, for instance, can be twice as dense as a softwood like Pine. Because of this, Oak is likely to be more expensive because you aren’t going to be using as much.

Another thing to think about is sticking with your local woods. This tends to support sustainable forestry, and it also helps keep down the transport of insects and fungi from other regions. Another big plus to buying your wood from a local producer is cost. It tends to be much cheaper because there are lower transportation costs.

Of course, the best firewood of all is well seasoned firewood. Not only is the wood going to burn more efficiently, but it is also going to be better for your chimney or stove. Since trees tend to be 40% to 60% water by weight when they are cut down, that moisture left will affect the burning of the wood. Much of the energy generated during burning will be used to dry the wood instead of producing heat for your home.  Some of the problems associated with burning wet wood include excess creosote buildup and the need for more wood to keep the fire going and to provide the necessary heat for a room.  It generally takes about 6 months to properly “season” or dry firewood to 20 – 25% moisture content.  This will allow the fire to burn nicely but not too quickly as when the wood is overly dry.  If you don’t have a hydrometer or moisture gauge, look at the ends of the firewood – if it is beginning to split or crack in places it’s probably ready to be used as fuel.